Self-leveling support structure for ironing tables



V- 1957 H. B. HYAMS ETAL SELF-LEVELINC SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR'IRONINGTABLES Filed Sept. 1'7, 1954 HERBERT B. f/YAMS HO ARD KERR.

United States Patent SELF-LEVELING "SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR IRONING TABLES Herbert EB. Hyams and Howard E. Kerr, St. Paul, Minn., :assi gnors,to Atlas Manufacturing ;Cornpa 1y, St. Paul, ,Minn a corporation ofMinnesota Application September 17, 1954, Serial No. 456,759

6 Claims. "(CL 38-121 ;This invention relates .to ironing tables .andthe like where the horizontal :top ;of the table is supported by iollapsible leg structure adapted forstorage or shipment to be compactlyretracted against the table top.

It is an object of our invention to'provide a very simple, inexpensivebut highly efficient support structure for such a table having baseelements for engagement with the floor which define a relatively largearea in the form of a four sided figure and providing widely spaced,fourpoint support for the table, but nevertheless being selfadjustablefor unevenness in the floor upon which the table is supported toeliminate the wobble or shakiness usually resulting from table-legstructures which provide a fourpoint support.

A further object is the provision of collapsible, intermediatelypivoted, crossed leg, supporting structure which is readily adjustablefor supporting the table top at a multiplicity of different heights;which provides for leg clearance of the user of the table while seated;and which further provides a very stable, rigid and highly eilicientfour-point support for the table, with provision of selfadjustment-ofthe floor-engaging elements for unevenness or irregularity of the flooron which the table is supported.

A further and more specific object is the provision of supportingstructure for an ironing table or the like wherein a minimum number ofparts are employed to provide stable and rigid support employing onlytwo intermediately pivoted and crossed leg members with transverse basebars fixed to the lower ends thereof for providing widely spaced,four-point support and in addition, having associated with at least oneof said leg members, a simple mechanism to render the floor-engagingelements ar- .ranged in the corners of a four sided figure,self-adjusting to conform to unevenness in the supporting floor, therebyeliminating wobble and shakiness of the supporting structure and table.

These and other objects and advantages of our inventionwill more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an embodiment of our invention set up ina desired elevation of the top, for use;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same with the supporting structurecollapsed and retracted flush against the bottom of the table top;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing ournovel and simplified mechanism for providing for longitudinaloscillation of one of the legs to render the transverse floor-enagingmember at the lower end thereof, self-adjustable for irregularities orunevenness in the floor or other supporting surface for the table;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of our Fig. 2 showingour simple mechanism for providing at the hinged upper end of theforward leg, freedom for longitudinal oscillation of the entire leg tofurnish a selfadjusting, four-point support for the table; and

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Fig. 5 is aldetail or fragmentary perspective view of the lowerendzof-the'forward leg showing the self-adjusting features of thetransverse base member thereof.

In the drawings, an embodiment of our invention in the formof an ironingtable, is illustrated having anelongated top T of .conventionalstructure made from sheet metal material provided with a multiplicity ofperforations .or apertures and .tapered at its forward end andreinforced ;at.its longitudinal edges by a depending, narrow metal bandor flange 6. The top T is further reinforced at its undersideby a pairof spaced, longitudinal ribs 7 equally spaced from the longitudinalcenter line of the top and welded or otherwise rigidly afiixed to thetop together with a series of widely.spaced, transverse channel bars 8and 9, two of said bars 8 being positioned at the intermediate portionof top T and a rear channel bar 9 being spaced forwardly a shortdistance from the rear edge of the :top.

Collapsible, supporting legstructure is attached to the bottomof theboard, preferably to the transverse channel bars18 and 9, which consistsin its simplest form in a pair of leg elements 10 and 11 intermediatelypivoted by a heavy pin 12 "in crossed relationship, said leg elements inthe simplest form, comprising a pair of metal pipes or tubes 10 and 11although of course, each leg element may comprise two or more members ifdesired. One of said leg elements (as shown, the front leg iii) at itsupper end is hinged to the underside of the top on a fixed hinge axisprovided as shown in Fig. 4 by the hinge pin or pintle 13. Hinge pin 13extends transversely of top T and is carried by the lower ends of adepending U-bracket 14 which is welded or otherwise affixed as shown toan intermediate portion of the transverse bracing channel 9. This hingepin passes through diametrically opposed apertures provided in the upperend of leg 10. With such hinge structure, the forward leg 19 may freelyswing relative to the top T from various diagonally disposed posi tionsas shown in Fig. 1 to a collapsed position flush against the bottom ofthe top as shown in Pig. 2.

In addition to said hinged relation of the forward leg 10 to the top ofthe table, we provide for an oscillatory relationship of leg 10longitudinally of the leg and upon the hinge pin 13. To this end, thetubular leg 10 is provided at its upper hinged end, as shown in Fig. 4,with at least one circumferential slot 19a where the hinge pin 13 passesthrough transversely of the upper end of leg 10. Diametrically opposedslots 10a may be provided if desired although one slot is all that isnecessary if a tubular leg of relatively thin gauge is employed sincethere is suflicient play in the aperture drilled on one side of theupper end of the leg for receiving the hinge pin to enable oscillationlongitudinally of the leg to occur when necessary for self-adjustment ofthe base or foot portion of the leg.

As shown in Fig. 3, the heavy pivot pin 12 at the intermediate andcrossed pivotal connection of legs 10 and 11 extends transverselythrough both of the legs and has headed extremities which prevent itsdisplacement. A short channel shaped bearing plate Ila is welded orotherwise aflixed to the inner side of leg 11 at the pivotal jointhaving its intermediate web in bearing contact with a short channelshaped bearing member 1012 welded or otherwise aflixed to the inner sideof the tubular leg 10 as shown in Fig. 3. -An outer bearing cap in theform of an arcuate plate may embrace a fragment of the outerlongitudinal surface of leg 10 beneath an adjacent head of the heavypivot pin 14. The pivot pin of course passes through diametricallyopposed apertures formed in the appropriate portions of the crossedtubular legs 11 and 10. However, in the case of forward leg 10, one ormore of these pin-receiving apertures is constructed in the form of acircumferential slot d (see Fig. 3) to provide, in conjunction with theslot 10a in the upper end of leg 10, for longitudinal oscillation of theentire tubular leg relative to its pivoted portions and connections.While as shown, only one slot is provided in each of said pivotalconnections whereby the slight oscillation provided of the leg 10, issubstantially on an axis adjacent the aperture on the opposite side ofthe leg, it will be definitely understood that opposed, similar slotsmay be provided to facilitate even greater oscillation wherein theoscillation will occur along substantially the axis of the tubular leg10 itself rather than along a longitudinal line at one side of the leg.

The other support leg (in the form shown, the rear leg 11) may comprisea rigid metal tube or pipe having its upper end provided with a fixedhinge pin 11]) which as shown is guided for slidable adjustmentlongitudinally of the bottom of the top T by a guide plate 15 havingdownturned, longitudinal flanges wherein the ends of the hinge pin 11bare received. The guide plate 15 as shown, is welded or otherwiserigidly secured to the bottom of the transverse channel braces 8. Theguide plate is provided with a retractible, elongated, rack plate 16which carries forwardly extended or curved teeth adapted to selectivelyengage the intermediate exposed portion of the hinge pin 11b. The rackplate 16 is urged downwardly by spring or gravity and may be retractedreadily by a U-shaped or bale handle 19 which as shown, is made of a rodand the loop of the U extends laterally outward to a point adjacent oneof the longitudinal edges of the top T, normally being inclineddownwardly to facilitate ready engagement by the hand of the user forlifting to disengage the teeth of plate 16 from the hinge pin 11b, thusenabling the table to be adjusted for height or to enable the legs 10and 11 to be retracted or collapsed inwardly flush aginst the top forstorage or shipment in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the legs 10 and 11 has rigidly affixed to the outer end, atransverse base bar or foot 17 and 18 respectively, the forward bar 17as shown, being of a length slightly less than the maximum width of thetop T while the foot 18 as shown secured to the rear leg 11, is of alength slightly wider than the over-all width of top T. It will ofcourse be understood that these proportions may be changed but ingeneral, it is desirable to provide the rear leg with a wider base andnarrowing the base of the forward leg for collapse against the board,facilitates the guiding of the collapsed table into a shallow envelopeor container. Each of the base bars or feet 17 and 18 at itsextremities, is provided with floor-engaging collars 17a and 18arespectively, which are preferably constructed of heavy rubber or otherslightly compressible and frictional material. The actual engagement ofthe supporting structure of the table therefore with the floor, is madethrough contact of the collars 17a and 18a with the floor, the points ofcontact it will be noted, being arranged in very widely spaced relationand defining the corners of a four sided figure of considerable area.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly understood that theentire rigid, tubular leg 10 is mounted for freedom to longitudinallyoscillate to a limited de gree upon its pivotal connection with pin 13at its upper end and upon its pivotal connection with the heavy pivotpin 12 connecting the two legs together at their point of crossing. Withsuch provision when the table is set up as shown in Fig. 1, in anydesired elevated position of the top within the range provided for, thetwo collars 17a at the outer ends of the rigid base bar 17 will engagethe floor-supporting surface at spaced points and if there is anyunevenness or irregularity in the floor, the entire leg 10 willautomatically oscillate to the extent needed for compensation and makecontact of the collars 17a with the floor. Thus, with our structure, avery firm four-point support of wide configuration or area is alwaysassured preventing wobbling or shaking of the structure as is oftenpresent with tables having fixed fourpoint support.

The self-adjustment of the contact collars 17a of one of the legs iswell illustrated in Fig. 5, the dotted lines indicating the variancepossible in positioning of the contact collars 17a through longitudinaloscillation of the tubular leg 10 within the range provide-d by thecircumferential slots 10a and 10d in the upper hinged end andintermediately pivoted portions of that leg.

The self-adjustment of the floor contact collars 17a to conform tounevenness of a supporting floor is brought about through thecombination of a diagonally disposed (as contrasted from a vertical)supporting leg with the oscillatory mounting of that diagonal leg andthe transverse afiixation of the base bar 17. It will, of course, beunderstood that the structure of leg 10 and its oscillatory connectionswith the hinge beneath the table top as well as at the intermediatepivotal crossing of the legs may be applied to the rear leg of theironing table shown or to various supporting leg structures to obtain afour-point support where the oscillatory leg is disposed diagonally ofthe floor or other supporting surface.

The crossed supporting legs 1%) and 11 are preferably positioned at oneside of the longitudinal center line of the board (although this featureis not novel), to make provision for knee and leg room on the part ofthe user if the user is seated in a chair facing the board.

The slide adjustment and interconnection at a multiplicity of variouspoints longitudinally of the underside of the top on the part of therear leg 11 makes provision for variations in the elevation of thesupported top above the floor for users in seated or standing positionsand for various heights. This feature is also old in the art.

The self-adjustment or compensating features of the supporting legstructure, through the inherent combination of elements described andillustrated in our drawings, produces a natural rolling action of thetransverse base support 17 with attendant oscillation of leg 10 as thetable is set up upon a somewhat uneven or irregular floor surface. Thefloor elements 17 and the ends of the leg roll like a roller truck toproperly position the element 17a firmly against the floor, therebycooperating with the elements 18a on leg 11 to furnish stable fourpointsupport.

In the appended claims and specification, where the terms slotted ortransversely slotted or slot and pin structure are used, the word slotis employed in its broad general meaning to include an enlargement oraperture of dimensions permissible of twisting or oscillation of theattached leg along a longitudinal axis.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have providedsimple, inexpensive and highly efiicient support structure andfour-point leg support for tables and other furniture whereincompensation or self-adjustability is made for unevenness in thesupporting floor providing always four-point support and eliminating thewobble or shakiness usually resulting from a table leg structure givingfour-point support.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, detail, arrangement and proportion of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. Self-adjustable supporting structure for a table having endscomprising leg structure connected to the table top and underlying ingeneral one end of the table and having two widely spacedfloor-engagement elements disposed transversely of the table and asecond leg structure comprising an elongated leg element having alongitudinally oscillatable connection at its upper end to the table topat a point widely spaced from the connection of said first leg structurewith the table top and extending diagonally downward and outwardly withits outer end disposed in widely spaced relation to the floor-engagementelements of said first leg structure, the connection between said legelement and the table comprising slot and pin elements related toprovide for limited longitudinal oscillation of said leg element to saidtop, and a base bar afiixed to the lower end of said leg elementsubstantially perpendicular thereof and transversely of the table andhaving at its two extremities depending floor-engaging elements forfurnishing two widely spaced points of support for the table wherebywith said diagonally disposed leg element compensation is made forstable, four-point support of the table from a floor through attendantoscillation of said leg element and the swingable shifting of saidfloorengaging elements as required by an uneven floor surface.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said first mentioned legstructure is disposed in cross-bracing relation with said leg elementand interconnected therewith at the point of crossing and wherein theconnection includes slot and pin structure transversely of said leg andalso permitting limited longitudinal oscillation of said leg relative tothe table and to the interconnected first leg structure.

3. A table having a table top and a supporting structure therefor, saidsupporting structure comprising a pair of crossed table-supporting legelements connected at their upper ends at longitudinally spaced pointsto the bottom of the table top, said leg elements each having at itslower end a pair of widely spaced floor-engaging elements disposedtransversely thereof, means connecting the leg elements at theirjuncture of crossing whereby one leg element will be oscillatablesubstantially on its longitudinal axis relative to the other legelement, the connection of said one leg element to the table topincluding means whereby said one leg element will be oscillatablerelative to the table top and on a longitudinal axis in substantialalignment with the other oscillation axis, whereby to provide stablefour-point support which compensates for unevenness in the floorsurface.

4. A table having a table top and a collapsible supporting structuretherefor, said supporting structure comprising a pair of crossedtable-supporting leg elements swingably connected at their upper ends atlongitudinally spaced points to the bottom of the table, said legelements each having at its lower end and rigid therewith a pair ofwidely spaced floor-engaging elements disposed transversely thereof, theconnection of one of the legs to the table top including meanspermitting the leg to swing and to move longitudinally outwardly of theunder side of the table to allow the legs to be collapsed into aposition of substantial parallelism with the under side of the tabletop, means connecting the leg elements at their juncture of crossingwhereby the leg elements are swingable on a transverse axis relative toeach other and whereby one leg element will be oscillatable on alongitudinal axis relative to the other leg element, the connection ofsaid one oscillatable leg element to the table top including meanswhereby said one leg element will be oscillatable relative to the tabletop and on a longitudinal axis in substantial alignment with the otheroscillation axis, whereby the legs provide stable four-point supportwhich compensates for unevenness in the floor surface.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein the connection of thejuncture of the crossed leg elements and the connection at the upper endof said one oscillatable leg element to the table top being in the formof pins and slots.

6. A table having a table top and a supporting structure therefor, saidsupporting structure comprising a pair of crossed table-supporting legelements connected at their upper ends at longitudinally spaced pointsto the bottom of the table top, a pair of cross bars each rigidlyconnected to the lower end of a respective leg element and extendingtransversely thereof, each of said cross bars having floor engagingelements at the opposite ends thereof, the point of connection betweenone cross bar and the corresponding leg element being spaced from thelongitudinal center point of the bar, means connecting the leg elementsat their juncture of crossing whereby one leg element will beoscillatable substantially on its longitudinal axis relative to theother leg element, the connection of said one leg element to the tabletop including means whereby said one leg element will be oscillatablerelative to the table top and on a longitudinal axis in substantialalignment with the other oscillation axis, whereby to provide stablefour-point support which compensates for unevenness in the floorsurface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,801,151 Gomber Apr. 14, 1931 1,821,259 Davis et a1. Sept. 1, 19312,546,097 Hild Mar. 20, 1951 2,661,554 Siczkiewicz et a1. Dec. 8, 19532,663,101 Olander Dec, 22, 1953

